1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing system, and an image processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, there has been proposed an image processing apparatus that uses a transparent color material (T), not including any pigment and dye, for purposes of gloss expression, surface protection, and the like, in addition to colorants such as cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K). On the other hand, there is a limit to a total amount of color materials such as ink and toner that an image processing apparatus can record on an image-recorded member. There is known a method of adjusting the total amount of color materials in order not to exceed the limit.
There are some methods as the method of adjusting the total amount of color materials. These are, for example, a method of adjusting an amount of colorants by giving priority to an amount of a transparent color material because of emphasis on reproducibility of an image using the transparent color material, a method of adjusting an amount of a transparent color material by giving priority to an amount of colorants because of emphasis on color reproducibility of an image using the colorants, and a method of adjusting a total amount of color materials by adopting an intermediate method between the two methods.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2007-049338 discloses an invention of reducing an amount of color materials with respect to a transparent color material in a predetermined ratio, when adjusting the amount of the transparent color material, in an area where the total amount of color materials including the colorants and the transparent color material exceeds a limit.
However, the conventional method of adjusting the amount of the transparent color material is that of adjusting the amount of the transparent color material only in an area where the transparent color material exceeds the limit of the total amount of color materials. This therefore causes a significant difference between the area where the transparent color material exceeds the limit of the total amount of the color materials and an area where the transparent color material does not exceed the limit of the total amount of the color materials. That is, the conventional method of adjusting the amount of the transparent color material has a problem that a sense of unity, a gradation property, and the like as an entire image are easily lost when gloss is expressed by using the transparent color material.
In view of above conventional problems, there is a need to provide an image processing apparatus, image processing system, and an image processing method for adjusting an amount of a transparent color material without losing a sense of unity and a gradation property as an entire image.